The latest from the Gang ... 

The weather was more mid summer than Spring as five TOHG members met to ride on the Tri-Community Greenway. 

This ride winds mostly through suburban neighbourhoods as it cuts across the old General Foods (Jell-o) factory grounds, past several cemeteries, Winchester Hispital Oncology Centre and along the Aberjona River and some very welcome shade. We continued along quiet residential streets before passing through downtown Winchester and past the Wedgemere commuter rail station. We elected to go on a bit further to one of the Mystic lakes dams where we stopped to look at cormorants and other birds before resuming our ride and stopping for coffee in Winchester on our return. 

Alan U

Seven TOHG hikers walked trails in Reading Town Forest. 
We walked slightly over three of the seven miles of trails.  It was a very hot and muggy day so we took our time. We crossed over several long boardwalks next to an old cranberry bog.  We also observed many tress that were cut down because they were disease-ridden (many of the logs were still there).  However, the trails were almost totally shaded making the heat less overbearing.  We walked up to the Ipswich River, saw an abandoned beaver dam, a couple of swans and what appeared to be the fireplace of an abandoned cabin next to the Ipswich River swamp.

After the hike, three of us enjoyed a lunch at Half and Half in Reading.

Neal S

Spring has sprung and four TOHG took advantage of the nice weather to ride the Clipper City Trail in Newburyport.

One of the most scenic rail trails in New England, the trail parallels the Merrimack River as it winds past downtown Newburyport before it heads inland. Along the way the trail boasts numerous sculptures, murals, swings, benches, gardens of various sorts and even a kids train.

The trail is paved and mostly flat making for an easy and enjoyable ride. After we finished our ride we joined three Gang members for an alfresco lunch at the Riverside Cafe. A great day for a ride and to get together with Gang members.

Alan U

Golf on the Cape this year at Blue Rock Golf Course was very different than a number of past years. The sun was shining; it was a cool but comfortable day, unlike the past few years when we played through rain and wind. So to say the least we had a great day as far as the weather was concerned. Although no individual scores were reported everyone had a nice day.

After the round a number of us gathered at Captain Parker’s Pub to replay all the great shots that had been made.

Paul M. 

The cool weather that greeted us on this ride was a welcome relief from the oppressive heat earlier in the week.  We had a large group of 18 who met at the trailhead in Woonsocket to bike about 10 miles to Cumberland RI.  This is a beautiful scenic trail which parallels not only the Blackstone River but also an active railroad utilised by the Providence & Worcester Railroad. 
We passed two dams, bridges, an old barn with picnic tables, a large recreational area but amazingly enough no coffee shops!

Well what's a Gang bike ride without a coffee stop?  When we returned to our starting point most of us went off to the nearby Coffee Connection while a couple of others had ventured off trail in Cumberland to  another coffee shop.

Alan U

North Mystery Group viewed the beautiful Fuller Garden in North Hampton on a lovely warm May Day. We had the place to ourselves and thoroughly enjoyed the peaceful spring setting. 

The formal rose gardens designed in the Colonial Revival style were commissioned during the late 1920s by Massachusetts Governor Alvan T. Fuller and designed by the Olmstead Firm as an ornament to his summer estate.  The meticulously maintained rose gardens with hundreds of varieties begin their season long bloom cycle in late June and continue through October.  The Japanese garden is usually in bloom in May and English the perennial plantings provide a continuous array of color and interest from spring until fall.  A DAHLIA display garden also is full of color all season.  The gardens are lined within large sculpted hedges, and the rose beds are framed in an array of superbly kept turf paths.

Afterwards we enjoyed a delicious lunch at Petey’s Summer Seafood restaurant in nearby Rye, NH.

Sheila P

Eighteen Gang members enjoyed a beautiful day riding from Amesbury to Seabrook NH to the Newburyport line. The trail consisted of paved, gravel and short on road portions as it wound from downtown Amesbury, through woods and eventually to a salt march at the Salisbury/Newburyport line. 

Along the way we stopped at the exact spot where the last successful New England train robbery occurred in July 1926.  The bandits escaped with $65,000 worth over $1 million dollars today in 2026. We also talked about how the “Ghost Trail” got its name. 

The trail was surprisingly quiet so it seemed we had the trails all to ourselves. And what bike ride is complete without a coffee stop at the end where we enjoyed some camaraderie?

Alan U

Sixteen TOHG members met at the Mt. Auburn Cemetery for a guided tour conducted by Chloe a member of the cemetery staff.  The rain predicted for Wednesday held off till afternoon and we had a beautiful tour with flowers and trees at their seasonal best.  Chloe provided interesting details about the history the cemetery and some of its occupants.

The cemetery was founded in 1831 around an Egyptian motif and all plants are native or Asian. We climbed the hill to the tower which provides an excellent view of the Cambridge and Boston skyline. Some of the sites we saw included the Isabel Stewart Gardner gravesite, the holding area used to store bodies awaiting burial during the winter months, Lake Auburn, and a tree with knees (growths of their roots going straight up out of the ground).

Twelve members of the group went to Greg’s Restaurant for lunch.

Neal S

Ten TOHG members chose a beautiful sunny day to ride both the western and eastern portions of the Independence Greenway. Starting on the western section we rode alongside part of the Ipswich River, past an active quarry where gravel is mined and continued past Crystal Pond where we saw Canada Geese with their goslings. 

We next picked up the eastern part of the Greenway near Northshore Mall riding west where the trail ends at a couple of cemeteries, about 10 miles total for both sections. 

And what’s a Gang bike ride without coffee?  We finished at Cafe Nero for refreshment and conversation al fresco. 

Alan U 

Six members of the TOHG West Mystery Group met at The Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation by the Charles River in Waltham. We had a wonderful tour guide who gave us a long and extensive tour of the Museum.

After our tour we walked several blocks and ate a delicious lunch at Pickle.

Jan U